NRL Goes Back to the Bush

[Perth Red]

Still prefer National U20s and National RG - this allows NSW Cip and QLD Cup teams to compete on a level footing

That removes the Feeder issue with NSW Cup

Eg my teams players 18-36 could turn out for a NSW Cup team like Newtown. Get Newtown promoted at expense of my club

I like the promotion relegation concept but not with 17 NRL squad members

Plus we have fulltime professionals v parttime footballers

Plus we have the player contract issues and how does a Salary Cap apply to 2nd Tier

How can broke arse union afford a national reserve grade and NRL cant?

 

[The Great Dane]

Still prefer National U20s and National RG - this allows NSW Cip and QLD Cup teams to compete on a level footing

An even competition (when I say competition I mean across both suggested tiers of the new comp I proposed) wasn't really my goal, nor can it be if we are looking at creating a competition where country town clubs can join alongside clubs that could possibly join an expanded NRL in the future, cause a team from Tamworth is very, very rarely going to have the same resources and backing that a well funded Perth or Brisbane club can muster, even if they're only working on a second tier budget (of course "fairy tails" can and will happen from time to time (Leicester) but these are the exception to the rule).

My goal was to create a (very rough) competition structure that would allow the maximum possible participation from the grass roots (e.g. teams from anywhere being able to join) while at the same time allowing for a system in which cream would rise to the top so to speak, whether that be clubs, players, administrators, or even just brands (who knows maybe a few "cult clubs" will pop up with insane brands and game day experiences (like St. Pauli)).

That removes the Feeder issue with NSW Cup

No introducing a duel registration system and outlawing feeder/development/whatever each club wants to call it, deals with lower tier clubs (such as the Raiders deal with the Mounties) does that, unless we are talking about different things.

Eg my teams players 18-36 could turn out for a NSW Cup team like Newtown. Get Newtown promoted at expense of my club

I like the promotion relegation concept but not with 17 NRL squad members

I don't think that's a good system because it restricts the players earnings abilities, and it'd make it impossible for a club outside the few that can get deals with NRL clubs to share players from ever having a hope of competing..

In a duel reg system whenever you're NRL coach wants to call up one of his players that is playing in one of the lower tiers on duel reg, the player would join back with the NRL team straightaway, it'd be one of the stipulations in his contract and the two clubs duel reg contract.

Also there's no reason that an NRL club would have to have all of their 18-36 on duel reg, they could sign as many of them as the cap allows on contracts with just them, but hopefully most of them would be on duel reg, however it may be necessary to put a cap on third parties to achieve this.

Plus we have fulltime professionals v parttime footballers

That's the only way to do it, if the goal is to give as many communities as possible (especially in the case of country towns) and their clubs exposure on a national scale, exposure which will in it's self create interest in the club and by extension in the sport it's self in those communities.

And again I stress that the goal shouldn't be to create an exclusive, elite, national competition, we've already got that, the goal should be to create a competition that maximises participation both in playing numbers (as most if not all of these lower tier clubs will run juniors in some form or another, it'd be a requirement of joining, except in very special cases (like a Toronto Wolfpack situation, but how often will one of those turn up.)) and in engaging fans that the exclusive nature of the NRL makes it hard for those fans to hold an interest in it's competition, such as the RL fans in Brisbane that hate the Broncos and the people all over the country that don't identify with an NRL club as such but may be more likely to identify with a local team, while at the same time allowing the cream to rise to the top and develop into potential assets for the NRL, whether they be clubs, players, administrators, etc, which I believe will happen naturally if there is an incentive to excel (such as promotion and regulation) as the clubs that can afford it and can sustain it will eventually rise to the top of the structure, and maybe one day if it makes sense might even be granted an NRL license.

Plus we have the player contract issues and how does a Salary Cap apply to 2nd Tier

Well the 2nd and 3rd tier would have the same salary cap (this allows those that can afford it to jet through the lower tier, but also allows for smaller clubs to maintain themselves at a level they can afford), which would be smaller then the NRL's but still substantial.
And naturally I'm massively over simplifying it, but I'd imagine that player contracts would pretty much work how they work in the NRL, except in the case of duel registered players where a deal would have to be struck between three parties (both the clubs and the player) on how much the player is getting payed, and how much of the contract each club is to pay, naturally there'll have to be a minimum on how much each club can pay to stop NRL clubs from getting second tier clubs paying for 99% of a players contract to stuff as many player as they can under the cap (and vice versa), though I'd allow a little bit of wiggle room.

 

[siv]

We seem to be talking two different items

A - The need for a fulltime professional development structure

B - And the need for a part time competition structure that has a wider footprint for NSW SA NT NZ

A merged NSW Cup / RM Cup without NRL clubs achieves B

But I dont see dual registration achieving A. It just a process to address feeder arrangements when players get dropped to Reserve Grade.

In QLD with players 18-36 spread across 3 clubs is your dual registration model works ok

But in NSW players 18-36 are aligned with one club. Everyone at one club is dual registered except for the few A grade players who fill in for injured players

I stll beleuve there is a place for both a NRL aligned Reserve Grade.

AND a second Tier part time competition with its own lower grade

You can then apply your dual registration process between the two to cover injuries

This allows the 2nd Tier club to operate at its managable finance levels around $1 mil

While allowing a NRL club to operate its Reserve structure at $2mil. Noting that as TV rights revenue increases it will jump to $4mil in 5 years

 

[Lambretta]

You could always take a Bunnies game to GI's home town.
That would spark some interest.....

Nah - make the Titans play there
It's in Queensland isn't it?

 

[davi]

A win for Bush Footy!!!! Titans won't be able to use their stadium during the commonwealth games, will take some of their home games to Toowoomba and Gladstone.


"
NRL commits to taking footy to the bush in 2018

The bush has been screaming out for top-level footy for what seems like an eternity and their prayers are set to be answered next season as seven country towns in Queensland and NSW host premiership games as part of the 2018 draw.

Premiership matches will be played in NSW towns of Mudgee, Tamworth, Bathurst and Gosford next year, as well as in Gladstone, Toowoomba and Cairns in Queensland.

It is most games in regional centres in the history of the premiership. Gold Coast Titans, who will be without a home ground for the opening month of the season due to the Commonwealth Games, will take matches to Gladstone and Toowoomba.

The Titans, who are being sold by the NRL, remain in discussions with the state government over a stadium deal for 2018 and beyond.

“With the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast next year, our stadium is unavailable for about a month and we have been working with the NRL and the Queensland government to relocate a couple of home games to both Toowoomba and Gladstone,” Gold Coast chief executive Graham Annesley said.

“We would prefer to play all our home games at Cbus Stadium for our members and fans but the Commonwealth Games gives us a chance to deepen our relationships with regional Queensland.’’

South Sydney will continue their recent tradition of taking games to Cairns and St George Illawarra will host a match in Mudgee, which will also host the annual Charity Shield match between the Rabbitohs and Dragons.

Wests Tigers will take a game to Tamworth; Penrith will continue to play in Bathurst; and the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney will take matches to Gosford.

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg said the NRL had worked with the clubs and Country Rugby League to maximise the number of bush matches in 2018.

He said: “We have said for some time it was our strong desire to take more games to regional venues in 2018, and we’re extremely happy to have been able to do that as part of the new schedule.

“I want to thank the clubs involved for working with us on delivering this positive result but also the local councils, community groups and our government partners for being so enthusiastic about hosting matches.’’

The increase in games in regional centres should help mitigate some of the disappointment caused by the axing of the annual City-Country game.

The game had become significantly less important over the years. It was once considered a State of Origin selection trial but the game’s impact on the Origin series had diminished significantly. There were fears that the decision to scrap it from the calendar would affect the game’s following in the country but the NRL and their clubs have helped alleviate some of those concerns by taking more games to the bush.

CRL chief executive Terry Quinn said the increase in regional matches was a victory for country rugby league fans.

“We always said that if the Country v City match was to be discontinued, we needed to see more NRL games in regional areas,” Quinn said.

“We have secured those extra matches and it means fans will be able to see NRL games in more regional areas than ever before.”

The increase in bush matches is the second significant change to next year’s draw. The NRL has already announced four double-headers will be played next season, a move expected to help the game address concerns over falling crowd numbers this season.

The double-headers will be played at four venues: Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Perth Stadium, Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland and ANZ Stadium in Sydney."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...8/news-story/152784b82905837516862637a96ddd6b

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Good to see the purist capital of the world Mudgee is getting a few games.

 

[POPEYE]

Good to see the purist capital of the world Mudgee is getting a few games.

and you scoffed at the idea

 

[AlwaysGreen]

and you scoffed at the idea

I never scoff when it comes to Mudgee, aka Purist Mecca.

Then again as you're not a purist you wouldn't understand.

 

[POPEYE]

I never scoff when it comes to Mudgee, aka Purist Mecca.

Then again as you're not a purist you wouldn't understand.

I have to be a purist, you could only know the term from following my writings

 

[AlwaysGreen]

I have to be a purist, you could only know the term from following my writings

I was a purist while you were still on bellamy's teat.

I won't discuss it here, I'll leave it to my column which I know you view regularly.

 

[POPEYE]

I was a purist while you were still on bellamy's teat.

I won't discuss it here, I'll leave it to my column which I know you view regularly.

Sorry to disillusion you ol' mate but I don't follow you as you do me . . . but carry on by all means, I'm not going to discourage the free advertising from you and your mate

 

[Lambretta]

I like how they call Gosford the Bush

On that basis, Wollongong, Penrith, Newcastle, Townsville and Canberra may as well be considered the bush

 

[POPEYE]

I like how they call Gosford the Bush

On that basis, Wollongong, Penrith, Newcastle, Townsville and Canberra may as well be considered the bush

Gosford may as well be the bush by the way it's treated . . . thank f**k for the Roosters

 

[Lambretta]

Gosford may as well be the bush by the way it's treated . . . thank f**k for the Roosters

I have been to every game the Roosters have played there
I love a trip to Gosford but as it's 40 minutes by car from my house, I'd hardly consider it as the bush

But yes, it has been very poorly treated - wonderful stadium in a great location

 

[King hit]

It's great they are making up for city country by playing games in regional areas. Premiership footy in Toowoomba is a massive win for QLD regional footy I've always wanted the Broncos to take games there.

 

[T-Boon]

While the Titans are in Toowoomba the Bears should just move into Cbus Stadium. Just set up camp.

 

[siv]

By the way how many NRL level Bush games did we play in 2017 - premiership and trials ?

 

[POPEYE]

I have been to every game the Roosters have played there
I love a trip to Gosford but as it's 40 minutes by car from my house, I'd hardly consider it as the bush

But yes, it has been very poorly treated - wonderful stadium in a great location

The bush has to start somewhere

 

[Diesel]

It's great they are making up for city country by playing games in regional areas. Premiership footy in Toowoomba is a massive win for QLD regional footy I've always wanted the Broncos to take games there.

Brisbane are too corporate play games in the bush. They've also got a contract to play 12 games at Suncorp.
Next time they negotiate a stadium deal they'll take the city corporate dollars over goodwill in the bush, even though they have players from all over QLD playing/played for them.

 

[POPEYE]

Brisbane are too corporate play games in the bush. They've also got a contract to play 12 games at Suncorp.
Next time they negotiate a stadium deal they'll take the city corporate dollars over goodwill in the bush, even though they have players from all over QLD playing/played for them.

Yes, they're not like the Roosters who could boost crowds by playing every game in the bush . . . but sacrifices have to be made for the good